Healthcare Experiences of Underrepresented Lesbian and Bisexual Women: A Focus Group Qualitative Study.

To understand the complex healthcare experiences of women identifying as lesbian or bisexual. who are also women of color, veterans, and/or 65 years of age and older. Inclusion criteria were age 25 or older, Los Angeles County resident, self-identification as a lesbian or bisexual woman, and as an African American, Latina, Asian-Pacific Islander, and/or a veteran.

Exploration of spatial patterns of congenital anomalies in Los Angeles County using the vital statistics birth master file.

Research has shown linkages between environmental exposures and population health metrics such as low birth weight and incidence of congenital anomalies. While the exact causal relationship between specific environmental teratogens and suspected corresponding congenital anomalies has largely not been established, spatial analysis of anomaly incidence can identify potential locations of increased risk. This study uses the Vital Statistics Birth Master File to map and analyze the rates of congenital anomalies of births from non-smoking mothers 15-35 years old within Los Angeles County.

Women's Sexual Health and Aging.

Older women are often sexually active, but physicians caring for older women rarely address sexual concerns. Although women's desire for sex declines with age, a majority of older women rate sex as having importance in their lives. Women identify emotional intimacy as an important reason for engaging in sexual relationships.

Reproductive health and the environment: Counseling patients about risks.

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are associated with reproductive complications such as infertility, pregnancy complications, poor birth outcomes, and child developmental abnormalities, although not all chemicals of concern are EDCs. Pregnant patients and women of childbearing age need reasonable advice about environmental contaminants and reproductive health.

Cervical cancer screening overuse and underuse: patient and physician factors.

Objectives: Despite recommendations for triennial cervical cancer screening for low-risk women 30 years and older, annual screening remains common. We studied how often women receiving care from an academically affiliated medical group were screened, and patient and provider factors associated with overuse and underuse. We also explored the impact of changing measurement intervals on computed screening frequency.

The heart truth professional education campaign on women and heart disease: needs assessment and evaluation results.

Background: Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the United States. Research has identified that women are less likely than men to receive medical interventions for the prevention and treatment of heart disease.

Methods And Results: As part of a campaign to educate healthcare professionals, 1245 healthcare professionals in 11 states attended a structured 1-hour continuing medical education (CME) program based on the 2004 AHA Evidence-Based Guidelines for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention in Women and completed a pretest and posttest evaluation.

Impact of participation in a community-based intimate partner violence prevention program on medical students: a multi-center study.

Background: Physicians are generally poorly trained to recognize, treat or refer adolescents at risk for intimate partner violence (IPV). Participation in community programs may improve medical students' knowledge, skills, and attitudes about IPV prevention.

Objective: To determine whether the experience of serving as educators in a community-based adolescent IPV prevention program improves medical students' knowledge, skills, and attitudes toward victims of IPV, beyond that of didactic training.